BMW Opens Flagship i Store in London, Updates i3 EV

Photo: BMW AG

BMW is diversifying its product portfolio beyond the blue and white crest and the ever-expanding Mini brand, with the introduction of its new i line of vehicles: the i3 city car and the i8 hybrid grand tourer. And with a new brand comes a new marketing tact, beginning with the opening of the flagship BMW i Store in London.

Not coincidentally, the ribbon cutting of the new dealership on July 25 comes just two days before London kicks off its Summer Olympics celebration, and BMW is looking to capitalize on the throngs of spectators in town for the games to promote its duo of eco-friendly wares.

Photo: BMW AGWhile the i3 isn’t due to go on sale until next year, with the $100,000 i8 following in 2014, BMW is taking the store’s opening as an opportunity to show off a mildly revised version its all-new entry-level EV.

The exterior of the i3 looks identical to the original concept shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show last year, but the inside has been put under the knife in an effort to show the personalization options available to buyers when the i3 hits the market in 2013.

Leather upholstery and wood inlays line the updated cabin, but BMW is insistent that all the materials – from the eucalyptus to the cow hides – are sourced from sustainable outlets.

Along with the refreshed i3 concept and the i8 plug-in hybrid, BMW is also showing off its Pedelec electric scooter, with a range of around 30 miles, and the BMW i Wallbox, specifically designed for charging all of BMW’s new electric products.

The i Store is part of a broader initiative to get the new brand in the minds of consumers. BMW’s “Born Electric” tour is set to start in Rome before heading to Japan and the US, eventually returning to London in 2013.